Thoracoscopic stand-alone appendectomy for atrial tachycardia originating from the left atrial appendage in a patient with severe left ventricular dysfunction

A Semi-Automated Algorithm for Segmentation of the Left Atrial Appendage Landing Zone: Application in Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Procedures

Background: Mechanical occlusion of the Left atrial appendage (LAA) using a purpose-built device has emerged as an effective prophylactic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke and a contraindication for anticoagulation. A crucial step in procedural planning is the choice of the device size. This is currently based on the manual analysis of the “Device Landing Zone” fr...

Thoracoscopic stand-alone left atrial appendectomy for thromboembolism prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVES This study sought to evaluate thoracoscopic stand-alone left atrial appendectomy for thromboembolism prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). BACKGROUND Closing the left atrial appendage (LAA) is an efficacious alternative to oral anticoagulation as prevention against AF-induced thromboembolism, provided that the procedure is safe and complete. METHODS Thirty patients ...

Left Atrial Appendage Dysfunction in a Patient with Premature Ventricular Contractions - A Risk Factor for Stroke?

A 16-year-old female with ventricular dysfunction and frequent ventricular arrhythmia presented with a cardioembolic stroke. Prior electrophysiology study and ablation was performed for ventricular tachycardia (VT). For remaining ventricular ectopy, the patient was maintained on carvedilol and mexiletine. After one year on this regimen, she presented with an acute stroke. Transesophageal echoca...

simultaneous left ventricle and left atrial appendage thrombi in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy

Left Atrial Tachycardia Originating From the Mitral Annulus–Aorta Junction

Background—At the mitral annulus–aorta (MA-Ao) junction, the left atrium is continuous through the subaortic curtain with the musculature of the anterior mitral leaflet. Under experimental conditions, this region can generate abnormal electrical activity. In patients with left atrial tachycardia, we investigated whether this region could be the source of this arrhythmia. Methods and Results—In ...